US Troops Have Taken Sides in A Civil War

There can be no doubts anymore. US troops have taken sides in a conflict that looks more and more like a civil war. Coming to the aid of maurading militia bent on revenge for a suicide bomb by shooting up a town is clearly an inappropriate role. There have been rumors of US troops aiding and supporting militias before, but here we have confirmation.
New York Times

Pitched battles erupted Thursday between Sunni Arab fighters and Shiite militiamen in a village north of Baghdad, highlighting the sectarian violence that still plagues the country, even after the installation of a new government. American soldiers were involved in the fighting, but it was unclear what role they played.


One villager, Abdul Hadi al-Dulaimi, said in a telephone interview that the mostly Sunni Arab village of Daliqiya was raided by Shiite policemen working with militiamen to avenge a recent suicide bombing. American troops sided with the Shiites and deployed aircraft and ground troops, he said. As of Thursday night, the fighting was still raging. MORE